Michigan had Auburn on the ropes in the Sweet 16 with a nine-point advantage in the second half. The Tigers were pounding the ball inside star Johni Broome on the block, but Michigan’s size was forcing him into misses and turnovers. Finally, Bruce Pearl remembered his team has more than one way to win. Auburn started getting its guards loose going downhill, and suddenly the Wolverines’ lead evaporated and the Tigers were going to the Elite Eight. Tahaad Pettiford is a hell of a changeup for the Auburn offense as an ultra slippery guard who creates so much space in any direction and has remarkable shooting touch. Denver Jones also found his offense off the bounce against Michigan, hitting some acrobatic shots when the post-ups weren’t dropping. Auburn was the best team in the country for the first 80 percent of this season, but they just haven’t seemed right since the end of the regular season. This win was a reminder that the Tigers still have the horses to pull away from anyone, provided Pearl is pushing the right buttons.
